Tanks



Sept. 10, 1957 w; M. BARNES TANKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 17, 1955INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 10, 1957 w. M. BARNES TANKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Jan. 17, 1955 /u//W M BAR/v55;

ATTORNEY- Unite States Patent TANKS William M. Barnes, Atlanta, Ga.,assignor to Coca-Cola Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofDelaware Application January 17, 1955, Serial No. 482,177

Claims. (Cl. ZZZ-184) This invention relates to the beverage industry,and more particularly to a new and improved pressurized carbonatedbeverage storage and shipping container or tank.

Said container is contemplated to be used both for the storage underpressure and shipping under pressure of a carbonated beverage from theplace Where the tank is filled to a point of sale, where the contentsare dispensed from the container under pressure.

An object of the instant invention is to provide a large diameter,sanitary and quick-opening closure for a device of the instant type.

Another object is to provide superior sealing characteristics in such aclosure without the necessity of extreme machine tolerances in matingparts.

Another object is to provide a tank in which as the pressure thereinincreases, the sealing characteristics and potential of its closurelikewise increases.

Another object is to facilitate withdrawal of a beverage from such atank.

Another object is to make possible almost complete removal of a beveragetherefrom through the employment of a unique sump whereby less than /2of l fluid ounce remains after the withdrawing action has beencompleted.

A still further object is to provide a protective upper skirt for thetop of such a tank.

Another object is to provide a protective lower skirt for the bottomhead and dip tube sump of a container.

Another object is to provide desirable sanitary features in such abottom structure.

Another object is to make possible economies of manufacture in a producttank.

These and other objects made apparent during the further progress of theinstant application are facilitated by reference to the drawings inwhich:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the instant container;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of said tank,fragmentary in part, and taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig.3;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan View 'of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2,and in reduced scale;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged exploded side elevational view of the closureelements and structure of the instant container;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the tank;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed view in vertical section, taken along theline 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of subject tank;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail in vertical section, taken along the line9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged exploded vertical sectional view showing thedetail of the liquid outlet of subject tank.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1, it will be seen ice that theinstant container comprises a main body portion 10, preferablyfabricated from stainless steel or other material calculated to avoidany ofi-taste in a carbonated beverage, or set up any chemical reactionwith the mild acids sometimes found therein, and which are in thecategory of taste correctives. It is also desirable that the materialselected shall be easily cleaned and sanitized for reasons sounding inhealth and over-all wholesomeness.

Suitably attached to the upper portion of tank body 10 as by Welding, isa tapered top segment 11 having formed therein a circular aperture 12,surrounding which and suitably sealed thereto is an annular ring 13,preferably formed of somewhat heavier material than the body of the tankproper. Firmly anchored in ring 13 is a plurality of locking pins 14extending in a generally hori zontal plane and being perforated neartheir ends as at 15 for a purpose explained hereafter.

A cover plate 16 having flattened upper edge surfaces 17 cooperates withan annular groove 18 formed in element 13 in such a manner as to seat insaid groove, and in conjunction with an O-ring 19, form a seal inconjunction with a cover plate locking ring 21 which is likewise anannular metallic element having a flattened top surface 21, a centralaperture designated by the numeral 22 and a plurality of sealing slots23 (Fig. 5), which extend in a generally sloping horizontal plane andthen terminate downwardly in openings 24. This semi-bayonet fittingarrangement permits said openings to register with locking pins 14 andthe cover plate locking ring, to be forced downwardly against O-ring 19,upon which 20 is rotated counter-clockwise a sufficient number ofdegrees to bring a locking pin 14 into engagement with a sealing lug 25having a perforation 26 therein, said lug being formed in the outerperiphery of element 20. It is then possible to lock'the covertemporarily in place by inserting a frangible seal through openings 15and 26 and closing said seal. When it is desired to open the tank, theseal may be ruptured, the cover plate locking ring rotated clockwise asuflicient distance to bring apertures 24 thereof in alignment withlocking pins 14, upon which the ring may be raised vertically from thetank, and

- thereby permit the removal of cover plate 16, for cleaning, filling,or other purposes.

It will be seen that the foregoing arrangement provides a simple andeffective sealing and locking arrangement, the internal pressure of acarbonated beverage within the tank tending to increase the efliciencyof the seal by virtue of upward pressure against the interior of cover16, such tending to press the cover into increasingly tight engagementwith the top of ring 20 through sealing element 19.

A circular guard member 27 having an upper edge 28 rolled tightly arounda reinforcing wire 29 (Fig. l) is anchored to the upper top surface of11 at an appropriate point. Said guard member has formed therein a pairof handles 30 as by slitting 27 at 31 and 32 and rolling the segment ofmetal thus exposed, inwardly as at 33 (Fig. 7) to provide a smoothcircular surface at this point and facilitate the handling of subjectcontainer. A pair of coupling bosses 34 and 35 are anchored in the topof 11, one of which serves as a gas inlet, and the other as a point offluid discharge, in conjunction with O-ring 36 (Fig. 10) which seats ina groove 37 formed in 35, and through which is passed a dip tube 38through an opening 39 formed in the boss and communicating with asimilar opening 40 in top member 11.

Attention is now directed to the bottom segment of the instant tankwhich consists of an annular metallic member 41 likewise suitablysecured to main body portion 10, as by welding, said element 41 beingopen at its top and closed as at 42 to form a bottom for the container.

As part of said bottom, there is provided at one side thereof, whichlies in a lower plane than the other side, a sump 43 which receives oneend of dip tube 38. Said sump is of primarily circular contour and maybe fed by 'a trough 44 formed in bottom 42 (Fig. .4).which facilitatethe fiow of fluid thereinto. This arrangement has been found to permitemptying of the tank to within /2 of 1' ounce of fluid, is easilycleaned and creates 'no problems from a sanitation standpoint. Economiesin product saving, and convenience in such an arrangement are obvious.An annular guard member 45 is welded to bottom 41 at its upper edges,which are turned back as at 46 to accommodate the contour of thecontainer at this point. A plurality of bottom drain slots 47 are formedin the upper peripheral edge of 45, primarily for sanitizing purposes.The bottom 48 or" 45 is rolled tightly around a piece of reinforcingwire 49 as at 50 thereby providing a strong and rigid protection factorat this point, with particular reference to sump 43, said guard beingeasily cleaned, economically constructed, and otherwise effective forits intended purposes. a

The operation and use of the instant tank is as follows: Cover plate 16with its associated sealing element having been removed in a mannerdescribed heretofore, the container is then filled with a liquid,preferably under pres sure, after which the top is sealed, and inlet 34connected with a suitable source of CO2 gas, dip tube 38 then beingconnected to a dispensing outlet as through a conventional coupling 51.This outlet may consist of a coin operated cup vending machine, a sodafountain type dispenser, a vending cart, a hand-carry pack, or othersuitable instrumentality for merchandising the fluid in the 4 platedthat the following claims shall be accorded an interpretation and scopefairly in keeping with the contribution to the art.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a main body portion, atapered top segment secured thereto, said segment having a centralaperture therein, an annular ring secured to said top portion adjacentthe aperture, an annular groove formed in said ring, a cover plateseating in said groove, an O-ring positioned adjacent the upper outeredge of said cover plate, a plurality of locking pins tank, theintermittent admission of CO2 gas into the I tank serving to facilitatethis function. Specific vending devices are not shown, since they formno part of the instant invention and machines of this sort are wellknown to the art.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been taught herein anew and useful container primarily intended for use in the storing anddispensing of carbonated beverages. That said device is economical tomanufacture, efiicient in operation, and fully adapted to the uses forwhich it is intended. shown and described a preferred form of subjectstructure, no limitation is implied thereby, it being contem- Whilethere has been anchored in said annular ring, a cover plate locking ringhaving a plurality of sealing slots therein calculated to engage saidlocking pins and secure said plate to the annular ring, and a bottommember attached to said main body portion.

2. The device defined in claim 1, including a coupling boss anchored insaid top segment.

3. The device defined in claim 2, including a guard member secured tosaid top and surrounding said cover plate locking ring and said boss,said guard member having handles.

4. The device defined in claim 2, including a dip tube passed downwardlythrough said boss, and a sump formed in said bottom to one side thereof,said sump receiving the lower end of said dip tube.

5. The device defined in claim 4, including a drainage channel formed insaid bottom and connecting with said sump, and a guard member secured tosaid bottom and surrounding said sump and drainage channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS707,849 Kracker Aug. 26, 1902 1,189,932 Garber July 4, 1916 1,341,592Ruehle May 25, 1920 1,648,718 Buhl NOV. 8, 1927 1,658,251 Nord Feb. 7,1928 2,038,420 Cookley Apr. 21, 1936 2,058,665 Cookley Oct. 27, 19362,174,354 Shields Sept. 26, 1939 2,449,285 Eckstrom Sept. 14, 19482,564,400 Hall Aug. 14, 1951 2,751,123 Kuhles et al June 19, 1956

